Improvisations
by fallingthrough11
Summary: More than anyone in Konoha, Naruto was the one who strived the hardest to bring Sasuke back no matter what. But the last thing he expected was for the dark-haired Uchiha to willing return. Nothing that is deserved comes without a price. narusasunaru


**Improvisations**

**Summary: More than anyone in the Konoha, Naruto was the one who strived the hardest to bring Sasuke back no matter what. But the last thing he expected was for the dark-haired Uchiha to willing return. Nothing that is deserved comes without a price. narusasunaru**

**AN: Hwai gais. Okay so I have a lot of unfinished fanfics that I *really* should get round to completing, but to be honest, i think I may have lost my interest in a few of them. (There's two actually that I will continue~, but other than that....) **

**That's all the more reason for me to start this one, and stick to it. My skill as a writer is developing and I just wanted to write a story that I can add a chapter to every month or so without having to worry about style, plot, narrative.... I'm excited about this; I plan for it to be quite long, but who knows how it'll turn out. If anyone has any ideas that I could include in the next chapter I'd be more than grateful to hear 'em! **

**Enjoy! And please review? I will give you imaginary cake!**

**Chapter One: The First Stage: Completely and Utterly Oblivious**

Tsunade leaned closer towards Sasuke, her hands out on the table. She sighed in exasperation.

'You're not going anywhere,' she said, not unkindly. 'You're aware of that, right? Not until you answer the questions. Do you honestly not remember what you put your team through?'

Sasuke only looked blank.

'Come on, cast your memory back – think about it!'

'I can't remember anything at all.'

She looked at him for a moment, perhaps to see if he was lying to her or not.

'Tsunade-bachan!' came an impatient call from through the door. Then Tsunade leaned away from the Uchiha as a pounding fist started whacking on the door.

'I told you I was busy!' she called.

'Tsunade-bachan! Let me in!'

'It's Naruto,' she said to Sasuke, whose lack of reaction was beginning to scare her. 'The rest of your team will be here soon.'

She had paced once behind her desk when, by the sound of it, they were just arriving – Sakura's and Naruto's distinctive arguing could be heard from beyond the door, and the muffled sounds of some ANBU guards who were trying to keep them settled.

'The Hokage is busy! Please come ba—aaaaah!'

The double doors shook in their frame.

'Now, now,' came Kakashi's voice. 'Sakura, let go. Naruto, be patient.'

'Alright! Come in!'

There was silence.

'I _said_ come in!' She felt as if a vein in her forehead could have burst.

The double doors were opened by the two, rather haggard, ANBU, and in burst one pink-haired kunoichi, limbs tangled with a blur of sunshine-yellow and violent-orange colour, as the two teammates fell hard onto the floor. Kakashi stepped over them as if they weren't even there and approached the desk.

Sasuke was still sitting there in the chair opposite Tsunade, looking from the corner of his eye at the three intruders. His sound clothes were torn, stained with blood and dirt, and his body was battered and bruised. He had a line of dried blood that ran down his left cheek, presumably from using the Mangekyou Sharingan. _How_ he had mastered that technique at such a young age Tsunade did not know. But then again she wasn't supposed to, Sasuke wasn't one of her ninja's anymore, he was a criminal.

And apparently a criminal who had lost his memory.

Every last ounce of it.

'Hokage-sama?' came Kakashi's voice. He looked serious, sombre, and was standing still as if he expected Sasuke to jump up at any moment and try to kill them all.

'Kakashi – and you two!' Naruto and Sakura picked themselves up, Sakura brushing herself off and Naruto nursing a rising lump on his head. 'Have you been briefed on the situation?'

It was then that all of their eyes fell onto Sasuke. Kakashi observed his ex-student with a kind of sadness that was evident even in his one visible eye. Sakura's breath hitched. While over the years the feelings she had had for him had been abused and crushed, and even though she had long accepted that Sasuke would never be with her, she had not forgotten what it was like to love the boy. When they were Team 7, every day on the bridge she would come face-to-face with the way he flicked his hair from his eyes, the way he offered indifferent 'Hm's when asked a question or was required to participate, the way he would regard things with those cold black eyes, mysterious and unknowing.

Well, he wasn't so mysterious now. They knew his true intentions were to wipe the Village Hidden in the Leaves from existence.

Naruto on the other hand had suddenly developed the ability to not have to blink. He stood stock-still as if lost in his thoughts and his mouth hung slightly agape. A mixture of emotions were hidden behind his eyes, threatening to burst out. After all they had been through Naruto was the one who had strived the furthest to stop Sasuke from falling to Orochimaru. Naruto was the one who had fought so hard, even after three years, still believing that Sasuke could be saved. It went without saying that the two shared an unconditional and close bond, closer than they liked to admit.

But Team 7 had been briefed on the situation. And it was surprising, unbelievable, but true. Despite the strong feelings they all had for the dark-haired Uchiha sitting still in that chair, they could not vent them. Because right now, Sasuke was as unknowing as an innocent child.

Was it some kind of jutsu?

'We weren't told much,' said Kakashi. 'Apparently there was not much to tell.'

'That's correct,' said Tsunade. 'We found Uchiha here wandering the border of the Fire and the Rice Field Country. We are lead to believe that, after your confrontation with Madara and Zetsu, that they returned to their lair – the whereabouts of which are still unknown, even to Sasuke – and an attempt was made to transfer Itachi's eyes to Sasuke.'

Sasuke perked up at the sound of his name. 'Why do you keep talking about Sasuke?' he asked, somewhat heatedly.

'You're Sasuke! You idiot!' cried Naruto.

Sasuke shot him a look. 'What?' He looked back at Tsunade. 'What's going on? Will you tell me now. Now that they're here?'

'That's what I said,' sighed Tsunade. 'Listen up, because I'm only going to explain this once. I'm under a lot of pressure right now from the heads of the clans. You're an ex-ninja, a member of the Akatsuki and a dangerous one at that I might add. For years we have tried to capture you. On your return, you had awaiting for you the death penalty, or at least the blocking of your chakra. You're supposed to be on trial for the consequence of your actions. But here you are, having returned with no struggle whatsoever. Utterly oblivious to your past.'

'What if it's just an act,' said Naruto, having had stepped closer toward Sasuke and Tsunade whilst she had been speaking. He had his arms folded indignantly over his chest and his lips were pulled down in a stubborn expression. 'Sasuke-teme! I want to trust you, but I can't.'

'Then it is a very good one,' said Tsunade in all seriousness. 'Naruto, he knows nothing about his clan or about what he's done over the past sixteen years of his life. It's like his mind has been wiped clean. He doesn't even remember Itachi.'

At the mention of that name the air seemed to become that bit heavier. Naruto, for all his perceived idiocy, even knew that the syllables 'EE-TAH-CHI' were never to be uttered around the dark-haired Uchiha unless you desired nothing more than to meet an early grave, or at least send the boy into a downward spiral of depression for the rest of the day.

On Sasuke's behalf, the name did not affect him at all. He looked rather bored and slightly annoyed.

'I have come to the only plausible conclusion left. I've made a decision. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi!'

'Hai!' came their replies, except Sasuke's, who seemed confused.

'You will resume being Team 7, just like you were three years ago. That means you will train and go on missions together. In the meantime I will personally get to the bottom of this memory issue, I'm lead to believe it's some kind of jutsu. The main priority is the safety of this village, so I want you three to keep a sharp eye on him. And Sasuke!' she snapped, her face now incredibly close to his. 'If you so much as put a toe out of line I _will_ _not _hesitate to kill you. This village is my responsibility and I see you as a threat. You may not remember what you've done, but that doesn't make it any less serious.'

She walked to stand behind her desk. 'I will address Sai with the matter later this afternoon. After all, he is part of Team 7 too.'

Naruto didn't quite know what to make of all this. He had bargained on this day being like all others – wake up, eat ramen, wonder whether this day was the day he would finally face Sasuke, and whether he'd see another sunset or sunrise. He'd imagined all kinds of scenarios where Sasuke would walk out from the trees, sword in hand, expression of hatred on his face.

But here he was, utterly and hopelessly complacent.

'What?' asked Sasuke, evenly. Naruto had been staring at him.

'So you say you don't _remember_ ... anything?'

'How can I know that I don't remember if I don't know what there is to remember?' he asked, and it was shocking how ... _innocent_ ... he sounded in that moment. He had an open look about his eyes that Naruto had only ever seen on Sai's face before. Never, ever on Sasuke's.

'You know who I am, though, right?' tested Naruto, prodding a thumb to his chest.

Sasuke frowned. 'You're ... annoying.'

Sakura laughed shortly.

There was an ominousness that hung over their heads. Sasuke had hurt them too much to be able to just be accepted back unquestioned.

'Naruto,' said Tsunade. 'He can't stay in my office. I'd like you to take him to his old home.'

'His ... ?!'

'That's right, the Uchiha District. I would send you along too, Sakura, but I and Shizune need your help here. As for you Kakashi, I would like a word in private...'

**TBC**


End file.
